Federal budget 2004

The federal budget outlines the economic state of the nation and sets out the priorities and plans for the future. On March 23, 2004, the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Finance, presented the 2004 Federal Budget. ECEC featured in the Government’s budget:

“Budget 2004 proposes to accelerate implementation of the Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care by providing an additional $75 million in 2004–05 and $75 million in 2005–06.

The total federal commitment to early learning and child care will be $375 million over the next two years. This is an increase of two-thirds over previously committed funds. It will mean up to 48,000 new child care spaces or up to 70,000 fully subsidized spaces for children from low-income families.

Budget 2004 also adds a further $10 million over four years for early learning and child care services for First Nations children living on reserves. This brings the federal government’s total investment to $45 million.”

It is interesting that in this federal budget, child care is part of the education and learning section, together with post-secondary education. It is also important to note that the chart on page 112 of the Budget Plan identifies early learning and child care as an issue across income categories – that is, for all children. Finally, it should be noted that it is not clear how the figures for “up to 48,000 new spaces” or “up to 70,000 fully subsidized spaces” were calculated.

This ISSUE file contains links to the federal budget and to selected materials from the child care and social policy community. It is organized into three sections: official budget documents, federal budget reactions and useful pre-budget materials.

OFFICIAL BUDGET DOCUMENTS

Budget plan 2004 (Technical report)
(Note: See chapter 4: “The importance of learning” for section on early learning and child care)
SOURCE Government of Canada, March 2004
Full report in html or in pdf.

Budget speech 2004
SOURCE Government of Canada, March 2004
Text of speech in html or in pdf.

Budget themes: Learning -- Cornerstone of Canada's economic and social progress
SOURCE Government of Canada, March 2004
Pamphlet in html or in pdf.

RESPONSES

Response to the federal budget 2004
SOURCE Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC, March 24, 2004
Media release in html

Federal budget: Baby steps won’t take us far
SOURCE The Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada, March 24, 2004
Media release in html

New child care funding in federal budget welcomed news – but children in Ontario still await real money and real plan for pan-Canadian child care system
SOURCE Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, March 24, 2004
Media release in html

Budget even less visionary than Throne Speech - YWCA Canada responds
YWCA
SOURCE Canada Newswire, March 24, 2004
Media release in html

Budget gives Social Development Department little to do
SOURCE Canadian Council on Social Development, March 24, 2004
Media release in html

Martin sits on surplus while Canada crumbles, scandal camouflage for inaction
SOURCE Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, March 24, 2004
Media release in html.

CAW response to federal budget
Canadian Auto Workers
SOURCE Canada News Wire, March 24, 2004
Media release in html.

Federal budget sets foundation for a quality early learning and child care system
SOURCE Canadian Child Care Federation, March 23, 2004
Media release in html

Another layaway plan: Budget 2004 stalls progress on child poverty
SOURCE Campaign 2000, March 23, 2004.
Media release in html.

Working families still waiting
Canadian Labour Congress
SOURCE Canada News Wire, March 23, 2004
Media release in html.

USEFUL PRE-BUDGET MATERIALS

Alternative Federal Budget 2004: Rebuilding the foundations
SOURCE Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, March 2004
Full report in pdf.

Strengthening Canada's social and economic foundations: Next steps for early childhood education and child care
Martha Friendly
SOURCE Institute for Research on Public Policy, March 2004
Article in Policy Options in pdf.

Sustaining the momentum: Brief to the Standing Committee on Finance for the 2003 pre-budget consultations
SOURCE Campaign 2000, November 2003
Brief in pdf.

Pre-budget consultation brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance
University of Guelph’s Child Care and Learning Centre Parents Advisory Committee
SOURCE Parent Voices, September 2003
Brief in pdf.

Pre-budget consultation brief to the Standing Committee on Finance
Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC
SOURCE Parent Voices, September 2003
Brief in pdf.

Brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance
Child Care Coalition of Manitoba
SOURCE Parent Voices, October 2003
Brief in pdf.

Presentation to the Standing Committee on Finance for the 2003 pre-budget consultations
SOURCE National Council of Welfare, October 2003
Brief in pdf.

2003 pre-budget consultation to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance
SOURCE Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada, September 2003
Full brief in pdf.

Federal pre-budget consultation
Parents for Quality Care (New Brunswick)
SOURCE Parent Voices, 2003
Brief in pdf.

Imagining a future of inclusion: CCSD's brief for the pre-budget consultations
SOURCE Canadian Council on Social Development, 2003
Paper in pdf.

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This list in not intended to be an exhaustive examination of this topic; for a more comprehensive list, search the Childcare Resource and Research Unit resource library catalogue Childcare Information Resource Collection (CIRC).